Congress roll call: May 26

Published: Monday, May 27, 2013 at 1:48 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, May 27, 2013 at 1:48 p.m.

By Voterama in Congress

Here’s how North Carolina members of Congress voted on major issues in the week ending May 24.

House

KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE: Voting 241 for and 175 against, the House on May 22 passed a bill (HR 3) to approve the building of the Keystone XL Pipeline between the Canadian border and Steele City, Neb. This usurped authority over the project from the executive branch, which is still weighing approval or disapproval of the so-called Northern Route between Canada and Nebraska. This is the final approval needed to complete a nearly 4,000mile, four-phase Keystone network for shipping crude from tar sands in Alberta to U.S. refineries located in the Midwest and on the Texas Gulf Coast or to U.S. ports for export as crude.

Voting 162 for and 255 against, the House on May 22 refused to prohibit U.S. oil companies from exporting crude oil they receive through the Keystone XL pipeline or petroleum products made from that oil. The underlying bill (HR 3, above) has no requirement that the Keystone oil be used to bolster America’s energy independence.

OIL-SPILL LIABILITY PAYMENTS: Voting 194 for and 223 against, the House on May 22 refused to require firms receiving tarsands crude via the Keystone XL pipeline to pay into the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, just as other oil companies must pay a per-gallon fee into the fund. This Democratic motion to HR 3 (above) sought to amend a 2011 Internal Revenue Service ruling under which tarsands oil is exempted from having to support the fund.

STATE DEPARTMENT REVIEW: Voting 246 for and 168 against, the House on May 22 expanded HR 3 (above) to include a State Department finding of no disqualifying environmental problems with the Keystone XL Pipeline compared to rail or truck shipments of the crude out of Canada. The draft finding also downplayed chances of the pipeline inflicting major environmental damage to resources along its route.

CARBON-POLLUTION OFFSETS: Voting 146 for and 269 against, on May 22, members defeated an amendment to HR 3 (above) designed to achieve neutrality in the Keystone XL Pipeline’s impact on carbon emissions. The measure sought to require oil companies that refine and produce products from the pipeline’s tar-sands crude to offset the resulting air pollution elsewhere in their carbon footprint.

STUDENT-LOAN RATES: Voting 221 for and 198 against, the House on May 23 sent the Senate a Republican bill (HR 1911) setting variable but capped interest rates for Stafford student loans and certain other education loans. For newly issued Stafford loans, the rate would be set annually at the rate for a 10-year Treasury note plus 2.5 percentage points, with a cap of 8.5 percent for undergraduates. At present, interest on Stafford loans is fixed at 3.4 percent, but will rise to 6.8 percent on July 1 unless Congress acts before then to head off the doubling of loan costs.

BAN ON TEASER RATES: Voting194 for and 223 against, the House on May 23 defeated a Democratic motion barring lenders under HR 1911 (above) from offering teaser rates, and also requiring lenders to give upfront notification of the true or projected total cost of the student loan.

APPEALS COURT JUDGESHIP: Senators on May 23 confirmed, 97 for and none against, Sri Srinivasan, 46, the principal deputy solicitor general at the Department of Justice, to sit on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. He becomes the first nominee by President Obama to join what is regarded as the most powerful federal appeals court.

A yes vote was to confirm Srinivasan.

Voting yes: Democrat Kay Hagan, Republican Richard Burr FEDERAL SUGAR PROGRAM: Voting 45 for and 54 against, the Senate on May 21 rejected an amendment to a pending farm bill (S 954) that sought to add free-market reforms to the federal sugar program, which protects growers and producers of cane and beet sugar. The program limits domestic production, restricts foreign imports, puts a floor under growers’ prices and requires the government to buy crop surpluses for sale at a loss to the ethanol industry. Its supporters note that the sugar program operates at no cost to taxpayers, while critics say it indirectly taxes consumers by increasing food prices. Debate on the five-year farm bill is to resume June 3.

A yes vote was to add market forces the federal sugar program.

Voting no: Hagan, Burr FOOD STAMPS CUTS:

Voting 40 for and 58 against, the Senate on May 21 refused to trim $30 billion from the $800 billion, tenyear authorization for food stamps in a five-year farm bill that remained in debate (S 954, above). Known formally as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), food stamps already were cut by $4 billion over ten years in the Senate bill and would be reduced by $20 billion over ten years in a farm bill pending in the House.

A yes vote backed the amendment.

Voting yes: Burr Voting no: Hagan GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOODS: Voting 27 for and 71 against, the Senate on May 23 refused to give states authority to require genetically engineered foods sold within their boundaries to be labeled as such. This was a bid to devolve powers now reserved to the federal Flood and Drug Administration, which requires the labeling of more than 3,000 ingredients and additives but not those pertaining to genetic engineering. The amendment was proposed to S 954 (above).

A yes vote backed the amendment.

Voting no: Hagan, Burr TOBACCO SUBSIDIES: Voting 44 for and 52 against, the Senate on May 23 defeated an amendment to prohibit federal subsidies of crop insurance for tobacco farmers, a benefit that costs taxpayers $3 million annually. Taxpayer-subsidized crop insurance is available to a wide range of crops, including tobacco, in a pending farm bill (S 954).

Kay Hagan, D-N.C., said the amendment “does nothing to alter the amount of tobacco that will be used in our country. Demand will be filled by foreign imports, probably from Brazil and other countries. It would put our American farmers out of work.”

A yes vote backed the amendment.

Voting no: Hagan, Burr A look ahead

Congress is in Memorial Day recess until the week of June 3, when the Senate will complete work on a five-year farm bill and take up immigration reform. The House schedule was to be announced.

<p>By Voterama in Congress</p><p>Here's how North Carolina members of Congress voted on major issues in the week ending May 24.</p><p>House</p><p>KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE: Voting 241 for and 175 against, the House on May 22 passed a bill (HR 3) to approve the building of the Keystone XL Pipeline between the Canadian border and Steele City, Neb. This usurped authority over the project from the executive branch, which is still weighing approval or disapproval of the so-called Northern Route between Canada and Nebraska. This is the final approval needed to complete a nearly 4,000mile, four-phase Keystone network for shipping crude from tar sands in Alberta to U.S. refineries located in the Midwest and on the Texas Gulf Coast or to U.S. ports for export as crude.</p><p>A yes vote was to pass the bill.</p><p>Voting yes: Republicans Renee Ellmers, Walter Jones, Virginia Foxx, Howard Coble, Richard Hudson, Robert Pittenger, Patrick McHenry, Mark Meadows and George Holding, and Democrat Mike McIntyre Voting no: Democrats G.K. Butterfield, David Price, Melvin Watt BAN ON OIL EXPORTS:</p><p>Voting 162 for and 255 against, the House on May 22 refused to prohibit U.S. oil companies from exporting crude oil they receive through the Keystone XL pipeline or petroleum products made from that oil. The underlying bill (HR 3, above) has no requirement that the Keystone oil be used to bolster America's energy independence.</p><p>A yes vote backed the amendment.</p><p>Voting yes: Butterfield, Price, McIntyre, Watt</p><p>Voting no: Ellmers, Jones, Foxx, Coble, Hudson, Pittenger, McHenry, Meadows, Holding</p><p>OIL-SPILL LIABILITY PAYMENTS: Voting 194 for and 223 against, the House on May 22 refused to require firms receiving tarsands crude via the Keystone XL pipeline to pay into the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, just as other oil companies must pay a per-gallon fee into the fund. This Democratic motion to HR 3 (above) sought to amend a 2011 Internal Revenue Service ruling under which tarsands oil is exempted from having to support the fund.</p><p>A yes vote backed the motion.</p><p>Voting yes: Butterfield, Price, McIntyre, Watt</p><p>Voting no: Ellmers, Jones, Foxx, Coble, Hudson, Pittenger, McHenry, Meadows, Holding</p><p>STATE DEPARTMENT REVIEW: Voting 246 for and 168 against, the House on May 22 expanded HR 3 (above) to include a State Department finding of no disqualifying environmental problems with the Keystone XL Pipeline compared to rail or truck shipments of the crude out of Canada. The draft finding also downplayed chances of the pipeline inflicting major environmental damage to resources along its route.</p><p>A yes vote backed the GOP amendment.</p><p>Voting yes: Ellmers, Jones, Foxx, Coble, McIntyre, Hudson, Pittenger, McHenry, Meadows, Holding Voting no: Butterfield, Price, Watt</p><p>CARBON-POLLUTION OFFSETS: Voting 146 for and 269 against, on May 22, members defeated an amendment to HR 3 (above) designed to achieve neutrality in the Keystone XL Pipeline's impact on carbon emissions. The measure sought to require oil companies that refine and produce products from the pipeline's tar-sands crude to offset the resulting air pollution elsewhere in their carbon footprint.</p><p>A yes vote backed the amendment.</p><p>North Carolina voting yes: Butterfield, Price Voting no: Ellmers, Jones, Foxx, Coble, McIntyre, Hudson, Pittenger, McHenry, Meadows, Watt, Holding</p><p>STUDENT-LOAN RATES: Voting 221 for and 198 against, the House on May 23 sent the Senate a Republican bill (HR 1911) setting variable but capped interest rates for Stafford student loans and certain other education loans. For newly issued Stafford loans, the rate would be set annually at the rate for a 10-year Treasury note plus 2.5 percentage points, with a cap of 8.5 percent for undergraduates. At present, interest on Stafford loans is fixed at 3.4 percent, but will rise to 6.8 percent on July 1 unless Congress acts before then to head off the doubling of loan costs.</p><p>A yes vote was to pass the bill.</p><p>Voting yes: Ellmers, Foxx, Coble, Hudson, Pittenger, McHenry, Meadows, Holding Voting no: Butterfield, Jones, Price, McIntyre, Watt</p><p>BAN ON TEASER RATES: Voting194 for and 223 against, the House on May 23 defeated a Democratic motion barring lenders under HR 1911 (above) from offering teaser rates, and also requiring lenders to give upfront notification of the true or projected total cost of the student loan.</p><p>A yes vote backed the motion.</p><p>Voting yes: Butterfield, Price , McIntyre, Watt</p><p>Voting no: Ellmers, Jones, Foxx, Coble, Hudson, Pittenger, McHenry, Meadows, Holding</p><p>Senate</p><p>APPEALS COURT JUDGESHIP: Senators on May 23 confirmed, 97 for and none against, Sri Srinivasan, 46, the principal deputy solicitor general at the Department of Justice, to sit on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. He becomes the first nominee by President Obama to join what is regarded as the most powerful federal appeals court.</p><p>A yes vote was to confirm Srinivasan.</p><p>Voting yes: Democrat Kay Hagan, Republican Richard Burr FEDERAL SUGAR PROGRAM: Voting 45 for and 54 against, the Senate on May 21 rejected an amendment to a pending farm bill (S 954) that sought to add free-market reforms to the federal sugar program, which protects growers and producers of cane and beet sugar. The program limits domestic production, restricts foreign imports, puts a floor under growers' prices and requires the government to buy crop surpluses for sale at a loss to the ethanol industry. Its supporters note that the sugar program operates at no cost to taxpayers, while critics say it indirectly taxes consumers by increasing food prices. Debate on the five-year farm bill is to resume June 3.</p><p>A yes vote was to add market forces the federal sugar program.</p><p>Voting no: Hagan, Burr FOOD STAMPS CUTS:</p><p>Voting 40 for and 58 against, the Senate on May 21 refused to trim $30 billion from the $800 billion, tenyear authorization for food stamps in a five-year farm bill that remained in debate (S 954, above). Known formally as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), food stamps already were cut by $4 billion over ten years in the Senate bill and would be reduced by $20 billion over ten years in a farm bill pending in the House.</p><p>A yes vote backed the amendment.</p><p>Voting yes: Burr Voting no: Hagan GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOODS: Voting 27 for and 71 against, the Senate on May 23 refused to give states authority to require genetically engineered foods sold within their boundaries to be labeled as such. This was a bid to devolve powers now reserved to the federal Flood and Drug Administration, which requires the labeling of more than 3,000 ingredients and additives but not those pertaining to genetic engineering. The amendment was proposed to S 954 (above).</p><p>A yes vote backed the amendment.</p><p>Voting no: Hagan, Burr TOBACCO SUBSIDIES: Voting 44 for and 52 against, the Senate on May 23 defeated an amendment to prohibit federal subsidies of crop insurance for tobacco farmers, a benefit that costs taxpayers $3 million annually. Taxpayer-subsidized crop insurance is available to a wide range of crops, including tobacco, in a pending farm bill (S 954).</p><p>Kay Hagan, D-N.C., said the amendment “does nothing to alter the amount of tobacco that will be used in our country. Demand will be filled by foreign imports, probably from Brazil and other countries. It would put our American farmers out of work.”</p><p>A yes vote backed the amendment.</p><p>Voting no: Hagan, Burr A look ahead</p><p>Congress is in Memorial Day recess until the week of June 3, when the Senate will complete work on a five-year farm bill and take up immigration reform. The House schedule was to be announced.</p>